Local blood drive hits close to home

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) – The annual Declarations for Donations blood drive is helping give blood to people around the world and to a special patient in our community.

Versiti, The Blood Center of Wisconsin, is holding a two day blood drive in the East Hall of the La Crosse Center. It begins on Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and continues on Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

All blood types are needed right now and can be used across the world. Summer months are tough since school is out and fewer people have time to donate.

Colleen Storandt’s Facebook Page

“In the summer months we tend to lose many of our regular donors because school is out of session and people are going on vacation,” Regional Manager of the Blood Center of Wisconsin Nikki Chalsma said. “We just want to remind people that it’s important to donate blood even in the summer months and to make time for it.”

Donations can also be used by patients living in the La Crosse community. Colleen Storandt of La Crescent has been living with a rare blood disease for the last 30 years. The disorder causes numbness, slurred speech and body weakness. Colleen has received more than 600 units of plasma from blood drives to treat her disease.